Lapsed for Dummies

Lapsed is a word that we use to describe something that has not been continued or renewed. It means that a certain activity, membership, or commitment has stopped or expired because it hasn't been kept up with or maintained. Let me give you an example so you can better understand what it means.

Imagine you have a subscription to your favorite magazine. Every month, a new edition arrives at your door and you eagerly read all the articles and look at the pictures. However, if you forget to renew your subscription when it expires, you won't receive any more magazines. Your subscription has lapsed, which means that you no longer have access to the new editions.

Now, lapsed can also be used to describe someone who used to practice or follow a certain activity or belief, but doesn't anymore. It's like when you used to play baseball with your friends every weekend, but then you stopped because you became more interested in playing video games. In this case, your interest in baseball has lapsed, or it has faded away over time.

So, to summarize, lapsed means that something has come to an end, usually because it hasn't been continued or renewed. It can refer to a subscription that hasn't been renewed or an activity or belief that someone used to engage in but doesn't anymore. It's like when the battery in your favorite toy runs out and you have to replace it to make it work again. Once the battery is replaced, the toy is no longer lapsed, just like when you renew your subscription, it's no longer lapsed.